Pampered Chef

I am becoming an adult based on the fact that I now do adult things like go to Pampered Chef cooking parties. My mom goes to things like this...

Raccoon Hat

When I dropped off Chelsey we had this exact conversation:
"Hey who's home?" - Me
"Probably Marissa." - Chelsey
"Really, with that hat in the window?" (we could only see the funny looking hat but no face or head for that matter). - Me
"Oh yeah." (Chelsey is perplexed). "That's probably not her." - Chelsey

But it was in fact Marissa with a raccoon on her head.

The Drowning of Gingerbread Man

I had a Gingerbread Latte from Borders and part of the reason it is so expensive is it comes with a little Gingerbread man. But sadly he is currently drowning in my latte. What you don't see in a couple of minutes he falls to the bottom of the cup. :( 

Soledad

On our way to Santa Cruz I saw the sign for the city of Soledad and I was so excited to take a picture of it and send it to my friend Sol. However, my phone is not a state of the art camera (or a state of the art phone for that matter) and just missed the great photo opportunity. So instead of sleeping on the car ride home, I stayed mostly awake so I wouldn't miss the wonderful signage opportunity. 

Bo-ya!

Pig Staredown

Our family game used to be Hand and Foot. That is a complicated card game that requires skills, patience, and a lot of brain power. But now our family game has shifted to a game of squealing, change, and yelling: Pass the Pigs. The goal of the game is to roll these tiny pigs and ensure they land in a particular way to gain maximum points.

I think we have downgraded on our game skills.

Grading Papers

My new life begins now. Already practicing the grading over the Holidays. Note to future self: don't assign papers or tests right before the break because otherwise I spend my break grading them while my students get to frolic in Thanksgiving joy.

Flyers and Business Cards

Blog to come. Right now the wonderful people who want see my work come to this particular blog but soon I will be creating one specifically for my new on the side business.
Any logo suggestions?

Night Sky

Rain + city skyline + clouds equal greatness. Fortunately I managed to get a few shots on from the moving car I was in as we travelled over the freeway. 

Train Ride Home

Taking the train sounds glamorous but in reality - it is not. Getting to the train station is fun, there is a lot of hustle and bustle, the unique noises to a train station, the conductors. And then the ride begins. It starts of with excitement, looking at the scenery passing by, seeing sights hidden from a normal car ride, and not having to drive yourself. 

But then, it gets dark, and you can't see out your window anymore. And the train will stop at random times to let others pass. Then you look at your watch and realize you have two hours to go but if you would have driven by car, you could have been home 20 minutes ago. And then you're tired of sitting down and really want to get out of this moving box but home is just so far away. 

Point: don't take the train for somewhere more than an hour away. 

Montecuollo Photos

This weekend I took Nicole's graduation photos. It was also the first time that I was officially paid for my services. It was the launch of Montecuollo Photos - my on-the-side amateur photography business. Contact me for more info *wink *wink. 

Naked Phase

A picture is worth a thousand words. I'll let it speak for itself. 

Coffee and Breakfast Burrito

As I commute to school every day I often find myself with extra time in the day. So whenever I need a place to relax I come to my favorite coffee shop in the world, Nautical Bean. And I recently found out that they are putting one downtown. How glorious is my life. 

The Heart of Racial Justice

This is the new book that I am reading lately. I first began it several years ago, after the first time I went to FUI. But then I decided to re-read it (or read it all the way through). It is very intriguing.

(Side note - did not actually finish this book until fall of 2012. Oops.)

Changing Colors

Yes the colors do change in California too. Except instead of this happening in September/October, it happens in late November. I think in SoCal we have about one week of real winter. Most of October-February is a glorified fall season. But in reality I could not handle anything else.

It's Beginning...

Yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Downtown Arroyo Grande has been transformed into a Winter Wonderland (minus the snow but makes up for in lights).

Too Darn Hot

At least once a day someone gets dared to eat these exceptionally hot peppers. They were sitting in a bowl on the table and to prevent some form of a death by pepper, they have becoming hanging decorations. I guess you wouldn't eat stuff hanging from the wall as quickly as you would if it sat in a bowl, which begs the question, potpourri (really, that's how you spell that? I'm just as shocked as you are). 

Prayer Letter Pictures

I've become an expert at prayer letter pictures for IV staff. Above is the Alan Hancock College and below is Cal Poly.

The Real

I helped cook food for The Real Conference in LA. Highlights of the weekend: 

• Bacon filled the kitchen with smoke. 
• We set oil on fire.... twice
• Baked beans spilled all over Melissa Sepe's car... then all over my car. 
• One giant bowl of trail mix. 
• Overflowing chicken pot pie

Coloring

I love coloring, especially now that I'm an Education major, I love coloring even more. Sarah A. and I hung out and we got coffee and we went to the park to color. This is my masterpiece. Sarah colored bible stories. 

Thursday Fun Day

Part One: head to the beach where Jill and I dominated the volleyball court (but not really).

Part Two: Take epic jumping photos. This is one is the audition for a new superhero league.

Part Three: make stupid faces to try to get Shin to say more than one sentence every day. 

All and all - Thursday Fun Day was the best day ever. Credential students know how to have fun and color. 

The Fort

Today for bible study - we met in a fort. It looked like an underwater fort because of the blue sheet you see. I wanted to draw fished to put on the sides of the beds.

Twilight Sweethearts

Michelle was trying to emulate Bella's face on the box. I think she captured the "I am a hot chick in love with a creepy vampire but because I'm so melodramatic I must stare at you with the look of one slightly constipated and slightly stunned."

Dr. Clark was thoroughly amused by our antics caused by the Twilight Sweethearts.

Exponentially Increasing Children

So I live with seven kids and their parents. For the next two days another family of seven kids and two parents are staying with us. There are kids EVERYWHERE. It's a good thing I know the family that I stay with, otherwise I'd be so confused. I think that kids are growing out of the wall.

Hotel California

We call the house Hotel California and sometimes I'm convinced it looks like it. During this rainy Sunday morning it looked more like the deserted Hotel California. 

Raindrops on Roses

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens. Brown paper packages tied up with strings... these are a few of my favorite things." 

Outsiders Project

Today I was in the classroom for most of the day. I observed at Laguna Middle School and the 7th graders just finished their the book, The Outsiders. During the break I snuck a peak at their projects. I was highly impressed by this one. If only I had artistic skills like this 12 year old. 

Pumpkin Ice Cream

Yes Trader Joe's. I was simultaneously craving pumpkin pie filling and ice cream. Thank you for noticing and catering to my needs. I appreciate it.

Kid Tested, Mom Approved

Yes this wonderful corn based cereal tried to kill me during bible study today. Ok maybe that is a bit of a stretch but this box did fall on me during study when Scott when up on the bed after he came back from a phone call. I was a bit scared for my life.

Breakdown

I am learning how to play Jack Johnson on the ukulele. I only half know one song - "Breakdown" and that's because it only uses four cords. I've got the cords down, now I've just got to practice the transitions and rhythm...

"I hope this old train breaks down,
Then I could take a walk around.
See what there is to see,
Time is just a melody..."

The Photographer

The Photographer

Click, a flash. One More memory preserved.
One more picture to look back at when life
Seems to pass by. A true art to capture
The human experience. Joy. Hate. Fear.
The love of a mother. The innocence
Of a small child. The mysteries of life.

There is a strange empty feeling. Somehow,
Lost in the art. A part of my soul, gone.
The passion that once fueled the mind of
Rebel, now withering away like flowers
In winter, covered in snow, awaiting
Their demise. A part of my soul, only,
To be found in one more faded picture.
Perhaps my memories are unfulfilled.